Results for "Île+Madame+|+127"

Bonjour nous faisons une croisière le 13 avril sur le MSC MUSICA et concernant l’escale à SANTORIN prévu de 07h00 à 15hOO, nous aurions aimé recevoir les conseils de personnes qui ont déjà visité cette île. Préssé par le temps que nous conseillez vous PHIRA (THERA) où OIA, comment accéder à ces sites le plus rapidement possible, pouvons nous envisager une visite des deux villes sachant qu’il y a un impératif absolu ne pas rater le bord. Merci de vos suggestions jacques

Malgré une recherche sur ce forum et ailleurs je n'ai pas trouvé beaucoup de gites en corse ouverts début avril (des campings par contre il y en a pas mal apparemment). J'aimerais un gite ou location ou chambre d'hote (pas plus de 45 euros la nuit pour 2), un vers le sud (disons dans un rayon d'une heure de bonifacio) et un autre vers le cap corse.

Des adresses ?

Merci !

Deux français peuvent-ils facillement créer une société sur Mada ? Il s'agit d'une société type S.A.R.L. si ce statut existe ou trouve un comparatif sur place, pour louer du matériel audio-visuel et produire de l'image. A votre avis, Mada est-elle une ile où notre projet serait réalisable ?

Bonjour à vous, Il semblerait que les lunettes (verres correcteurs et montures) soient à un prix très avantageux en thaïlande. Je pars à Phuket. Est-ce vrai ? Connaissez-vous des adresses, ainsi que pour la confection de vêtements sur mesures ? Merci à l'avance

bonjour nous retournons en polynédie mais cette fois on fait les marquises, je vlais savoir quelels iles avez vs fait, combien de temps rester par ile? dans quelles pensions ou hotels etiez vous allées et ben sur vos activités(ainsi q si possible leur cout)

merci!

J'ai lu sur les guides que ce n'est pas la meilleure période climatique dans ce secteur . Qu'en est- il exactement du temps sur place ? Quelle est l'ambiance et le coin le plus joli de l'ïle? On n'est pas encore décidés sur le lieu de notre "étape mer"...Merci de nous donner vos impressions.

Coucou vous tous

Je repars à mada fin janvier debut fevrier pour 20 jours; je connais dejà mada mais c'est la première fois que j'y vais en période cyclonique

Quelles parties de l'ile me conseillez vous pour bourlinguer et visiter à cette période? (est, ouest ou sud)

Merci d'avance de vos précieux conseils Alex

Bonsoir à tous,

me voilà nouvelle sur ce forum.

J'ai une question concernant l'indian resort.

Nous avons choisi cet hôtel pour que mon mari fasse de la plancheà voile et que moi je puisse me reposer après une année chargée en émotion. Au moment de la réservation nous avions choisi la formule all-inclusive mais la personne de l'agence nous a conseiller la demi-pension sachant que la première semaine la pension complète est au prix de la demi-pension. Mais sachant que cet hôtel est un quatre étoîles, nous n'arrivons pas à nous décider. Je n'ai pas réussi à trouver de tarifs des consommations, nous nous doutons que ça doit être cher mais suffisament pour que le all-in soit la meilleure formule? Je suis un peu perdue et nous n'avons que cinq jours pour nous décider.

Est-ce que vous pouvez m'aider? Merci beaucoup

Bonne soirée

Bonjour

Mon amie et moi sommes allées à Punta Cana en mars 2007 et c'était superbe, le seul problème est qu'au retour nos vêtements sentent terriblement l'humidité et c'est presque impossible de s'en débarrasser. Avez vous eu ce problème et si oui y a t'il une façon de faire partir cette odeur.

Merci de votre aide.

Je suis a la recherche sur Marie Galante pour 2 nuits ( un couple + 1 ado ) d'une chambre d'hote ou autre mais a un prix raisonnable; peut on m'aider départ la semaine prochaine.( je suis preneuse de toutes vos infos concernant cette petite ile)

Nous planifions un voyage en Italie en aout 2007. (Rome-Naples) J'ai l'impression que le francais et/ou l'anglais ne sont pas beaucoup utilisés (hotels-restaurants-attractions touristiques). Devrais-je apprendre les rudiments de la langue italienne? J'ai deja commencé... Nous voulons passer quelques jours a l'ile de Procida (golfe de Naples), quelqu'un a des conseils a nous donner? Suggestion d'hebergement abordable? Y aura t'il foule en aout?

Merci a l'avance!

Lombok, Indonesia: A Forgotten Paradise?

We’ve just returned from 3 weeks (yes, only that!) in Lombok, an island next to Bali, just a few miles away. Since I found very little information before leaving—except about the Gili Islands and organized Rinjani treks—I’ve tried to gather some details that might be useful for a Voyage Forum member looking to explore the area. Nothing exhaustive, but maybe a few great tips.

For those considering a Lonely Planet *Bali & Lombok* guide, be aware that the prices are wrong (expect a 30% increase, especially due to rising fuel costs), much of the info is outdated (the latest edition must be at least 2 or 3 years old), and the real good deals aren’t included. In short, don’t bother weighing down your bag (we already had 17kg of luggage for two—we’re getting soft!). A good map will be far more useful.

Climate: We went in late August to mid-September, so the weather was ideal in this region (best from June to September). It was pleasant, not too hot, with a light breeze keeping the Bintang cold in the evening—pure bliss!

Getting There: The cheapest way is to fly to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia Airlines), then switch airports (getting to the LCC terminal costs 1.5 ringgit by bus) and take an AirAsia flight to Bali (booked in advance online). Once in Bali, to reach Lombok: either another flight—around 30 €—on a small propeller plane (probably a Dutch legacy); or by boat, but since you have to get to Padangbai in eastern Bali to catch the ferry, you “lose” (a very relative term when traveling) a lot of time (at least 6 hours total) to save a few euros. Since we were already mid-afternoon and didn’t want to spend a night in Bali, we opted for the “tuk-tuk with propellers” 😉. It was the first time I was weighed with my bag before boarding a plane! I know I’ve put on weight lately, but still…

After arriving in the late afternoon in Mataram, Lombok, we decided to find a bed nearby. Headed to Senggigi, Lombok’s main beach resort. We ended up at the first guesthouse, “Lina Cottages,” for 75,000 IDR a night. Exhausted, we headed straight to dreamland. I woke up around midnight, thinking I heard Massimo!??!! I hadn’t even had too much Bintang—was the jet lag giving me hallucinations ? No, I really did hear Massimo belting out a song! After a few seconds of “lost in translation,” I realized the Marina, Senggigi’s trendy bar, had—like every night—a live band playing, and these guys were covering that French classic (sic) you’ve probably heard at least once. Coming all this way just to hear “Massiiiimooooo, Massiiimmoooo, Massiiimmooomooooo…” blasting in your ears like you’re at a campsite in Juan-les-Pins—enough to depress anyone! Anyway, we left ASAP. Just enough time to check out Senggigi: its 4 or 5 bars, 10 restaurants, 3 or 4 luxury hotels—still far from Kuta Bali, but not really our scene anyway. We quickly realized there’s very little organized transport (except for a few Perama bus routes, almost all passing through Senggigi) in Lombok. To avoid spending our 3 weeks in bemos, we quickly opted to rent a car (too old for a two-person motorbike, though we’d done it in Bali… Turns out we made the right call—the roads in Lombok are way too rough for bikes). Senggigi is one of the few places on the island where you can rent a car and withdraw cash. After some tough negotiation, I got a Suzuki Katana for 120,000 IDR/day (instead of the usual 200,000 IDR). I was a bit frustrated—thought it was expensive. A local on vacation in Lombok (he’s lived in Australia for years) later told me he couldn’t even get that rate, saying prices had jumped with the fuel hike (from 2,500 IDR/liter two years ago to 5,000 IDR now).

Anyway, we left Massimo to his interplanetary success and headed south. I was curious to see if we could stay on a small island off Lombok’s southwest peninsula. After 60km and 1.5 hours, we arrived in Taun, where we found a “captain” willing to take us to Gili Nanggu. There seemed to be a guesthouse on the island. After some *very* tough negotiation, we got a round-trip price of 150,000 IDR for two days later (a guide taking tourists to the island for the day later told me he pays 185,000 IDR for the same trip). The island is barely a few hundred meters across, and the only guesthouse, “Gili Nanggu Cottages” (165,000 IDR/night), offered us a charming bungalow in traditional Lombok style. No negotiating possible—we were stuck on the island anyway! By mid-afternoon, the day-trippers (often from Senggigi) left. There were about ten of us staying overnight. The sand was white, the water crystal-clear with fish, and the sunsets stunning… but the coral was pretty damaged.

Next, we headed south to Kuta Lombok. The most direct route via Sepi was marked as “small” on the map… mmm… The Lonely Planet—this was the *only* time it was “useful” (sic)—had a special warning saying many readers had been robbed in the area. Wanting to clear this up for my Voyage Forum friends, we took the plunge! The road was *completely* wrecked—potholes everywhere, and if you ignore the rain-carved ravines, it was like a pothole per square meter! I was searching for tarmac to park my wheels! After 80km and 3 hours of bone-rattling driving, with stunning views of Lombok’s arid southern countryside and deserted turquoise bays, we arrived in Kuta Lombok. On the way, instead of robbers and thieves, we only met schoolchildren with big smiles shouting cheerful “hellloooo’s.” We didn’t see a single other car the whole trip.

Kuta is nothing like its Balinese namesake. It stretches just a few hundred meters along a beautiful round-sand bay (yes, round—it rolls under your feet). About ten deserted restaurants and just as many guesthouses (5% occupancy, I was told—we only saw about ten Westerners in 3 days). No guesthouses face the beach; they’re all on the other side of the road in an inner garden. A bit of a shame. Still, the bay is gorgeous, and a few fishing families live in very basic huts on the beach. We decided to check out the Novotel to get a feel for the area. The lush vegetation contrasted with the surrounding aridity, two pools… all that fresh water being used, plus the Accor flag, made me want to head back to the fishermen’s huts. Finally, we found a guesthouse on the beach at the eastern end of Kuta Bay, just before the Novotel: “Lombok Baru.” It’s the only one on the beach. The bungalow was spotless, right by the sea, for 105,000 IDR/night. The Chinese-Indonesian family running the place told me they’d only been open for 3 years and were growing slowly as they saved up. A new bungalow was under construction, and the “garden” was still a work in progress.

The Tanjung Aan bay, a few kilometers east of Kuta, is stunning—huge, white sand, and almost no one except a few persistent sarong sellers. The bay is definitely worth a visit (if not a sunburn). A toothless old man even tried to sell us a coconut, improvising a song (after my girlfriend started singing to ignore them 😉). With his three words of broken English, he sang: “Coconut mist’errrr… mister coconuttttee… If no coconut, no monyyyy… Coconut mister…” for at least 10 minutes! A rare moment, a beautiful encounter. The song stuck with us for the rest of the trip—even now, I hum it to avoid getting too depressed about being back home. One evening, a Balinese waiter who’d been living in Lombok for 7 years gave us lots of info about the area, the culture, and the people. He talked about the security issues in Kuta—yes, there are frequent thefts (money, cars, etc.). For him, it’s due to the lack of education among many locals, who don’t see beyond their immediate needs and risk scaring tourists away (which is why Kuta is so deserted). After a few days there, you do get the sense that you shouldn’t tempt fate by flashing money or jewelry amid such poverty in southern Lombok. But calling it a “dangerous area” is a stretch! That won’t stop me from going back, though!

Next, we headed east—northeast, actually. I was curious about the small islands on my map, and I hadn’t found *anyone* who’d been there to give me tips. So we drove to Labu Pandan (115km, 3 hours—I may have pushed the Katana a bit…). What looked like a small village was actually just a guesthouse and a few fishing boats on the beach. The “Pondok Gili Lampu” guesthouse also sold basic supplies to locals and had a simple restaurant with 5 or 6 basic bungalows (60,000 IDR/night) and a beautiful deserted black-sand beach. They offered snorkeling trips to Gili Lampu and camping there (organized by the guesthouse), but there were no facilities or water on the island. The strong wind made us decide to stay on the beach—poor visibility for snorkeling and sand in the sleeping bags didn’t sound appealing… The owner, Yanto, didn’t speak a word of English but was absolutely lovely. Another heartwarming encounter that did us so much good. Life was sweet, and we let ourselves drift to the rhythm of faraway relaxation.

Then we headed to Sembalun Lawang, the least crowded starting point for the Rinjani trek (most people start from Senaru). The southern route was fine—we crossed a 1,700m pass. The only person we met was an ice cream vendor on a motorbike overtaking us on the climb—he must’ve been in a hurry, which is ironic for an ice cream seller! After 65km and 1h15 of winding roads, we arrived in Sembalun Lawang and parked our trusty Katana at “Sembalun Nauli,” which had 4 standalone bungalows (90,000 IDR/night) in the middle of nowhere. There was nothing around—just the Rinjani looming ahead, our goal for the next 3 days. The guesthouse arranged our gear (sleeping bags, tent), hired two porters, and bought food. I got a price of 1,400,000 IDR for 2 people for 3 days. I think you could get it down to 1,000,000 or 1,200,000 if you did it yourself, but we hadn’t seen a single person in SL (not a restaurant in sight—even the Rinjani Trekking Center was closed, the guy was supposedly napping…). I didn’t feel like stressing over it. It was a far cry from the 170 USD/person quoted in Senggigi!

The 3-Day Rinjani Trek was a unique experience—not just for the scenery but also for the (relative) “sharing” with the porters: Mister Adi (who spoke a little English) and Mister An (who only spoke Sasak and Indonesian). On the first day, we went from Sembalun to base camp: 1,700m elevation gain under the sun, 6 solid hours of hiking (not counting breaks). My shared backpack, weighing around 10kg, felt heavy on the climb. We took breaks to drink, while our porters smoked!! I don’t know how they did it! The next day, we left at 2:30 AM to reach the summit (1,500m elevation gain) by 6 AM for sunrise. The last 300 meters were brutal—a 35/40° slope, straight up in sand and small stones. Those who say you move a meter forward and slide 50cm back haven’t seen the slope! It’s more like 20cm forward and sometimes 20cm back… tough stuff. But we made it to the summit (3,726m)—not everyone does. A word to the wise: you’d better be in good shape and, above all, have the right mindset! More beautiful than the sunrise was the moonrise—almost full and reddish—around 4 AM. It was stunning! As for vertigo, sure, you’re walking along a ridge, but even for someone like me who’s not a fan of heights, it was fine. Back at base camp, Mister An had made delicious banana pancakes—a local ritual, apparently, and a treat for us! Then we descended to Segara Anak Lake in the crater. It was steep, and with our legs like telephone poles, it wasn’t easy: “Adeng adeng, Mister An!!!” We enjoyed the hot springs (40°C!) and I even swam in the lake itself—the water must’ve been around 20°C, incredibly pure. I was alone facing Gunung Baru, the active volcanic cone: unforgettable! On the third day, we climbed back out of the crater, then descended 2,000m to Senaru, where ojek (motorcycle taxis) were waiting to take us back to Sembalun to retrieve our car, still parked at Sembalun Nauli. Then we drove to Senggigi (2 hours, flat out), where this time we stayed at Dharmarie (150,000 IDR instead of 300,000 IDR)—spotless room, nice bathroom, much quieter than Lina! We returned our Suzuki Katana 3 days late (I thought they’d have a heart attack—they’d been looking for us everywhere, even going to Kuta!). Anyway, I paid for 2 extra days out of the 3, and we headed to catch the Perama boat directly to Gili Air from Senggigi (70,000 IDR/person).

We chose Gili Air based on the posts I’d read on Voyage Forum (thanks 😉). Somehow, we ended up with a French friend at Hotel Gili Air (yes, I know—after our Rinjani adventure, we treated ourselves…) on the north side of the island, where we negotiated the room down to 225,000 IDR/night from the listed 38 USD. The included breakfast was huge, and the seawater pool was a nice touch (if not the hotel staff…). The island was pretty nice—white sand, pretty fish, turtles—but the coral was damaged in many places. Hammock, snorkeling, grilled fish, and Bintang—a simple pleasure

After 3 days, the travel bug bit us again. We wanted to reach Komodo by boat. Two agencies offered 4-day one-way trips to Flores: Perama (1,400,000 IDR/person for deck sleeping) and another (name forgotten) for 850,000 IDR. Couldn’t negotiate with Perama—the next departure was in 5 days (every 6 days, I think). We went with the other one. Everything seemed fine (the boat actually left from Labuhan Lombok, east of Lombok, which we reached by bus from Gili Air) until the agency told us there were only 2 flights a week from Labuan Bajo in Flores back to Bali, which would leave us stuck for 3 days in Flores and make us miss our return flight to Kuala Lumpur. To top it off, the agency lady said we were only 6 people signed up, and the boat wouldn’t leave with fewer than 8… so it fell through. We decided to end our trip with a few days in Bali to see how the island had changed since our last visit in 2003.

I won’t go on about Bali—it’s much better known than Lombok—but here are 3 great spots: - Ubud: So much construction since 2003! You’d think you were in a French city center with all the shops! “Nick’s Pension,” near the top of Monkey Forest—take a small alley to the left as you go up, all the way to the end. A green paradise in the middle of rice fields, quiet, just 50m from Monkey Forest. Nice pool. 300,000 IDR/night, negotiated down to 150,000 IDR. - Amed: “Wa Wa We We II” (120,000 IDR/night)—gorgeous infinity pool, charming bungalows, “relax” vibe. - Jimbaran: “Villa Puri Royan” (from 120,000 IDR)—like a hacienda on 3 levels with a pool in the middle. Right next to the beach warungs. *The* good deal in Jimbaran.

When you go from Lombok to Bali, you notice a clear difference. First, in terms of development. In Lombok, cars are rare outside Mataram/Senggigi. Development is far behind Bali—probably what Bali was like 20 years ago! I heard that construction on an international airport in Praya, central Lombok, started on August 1, 2006… Even if it takes 5 or 10 years to build, maybe it’s time to go. Then there’s the “people” factor—culture or religion plays a role. It’s true that it’s less easy than in Bali (which is so unique…), and relationships can be tougher, even tense at times. Maybe it’s just less accessible for “whirlwind travelers” like us. The car also saved us from many hassles (negotiating bemos, ferry arrivals, etc.). Still, we had some amazing encounters and never felt unsafe. I imagine other experiences could be different, especially if you’re easily intimidated.

I hope you’ll find some useful info in this post. When you visit this part of the world, try to get off the beaten path of the Gili Islands or Senggigi. Lombok and its people are well worth a detour.

Selamat Jalan

Bonjour à tous et merci !

Merci car depuis 2 mois, j’ecume les forums (LP, GR, VF) à la recherche d’infos sur la Thailande, et j’ai trouvé quasiment toutes les reponses aux questions que je me posais (ou plutot que madame me posais… en effet, il a fallu la persuader de partir avec 2 vols secs sans aucune résa sur place….)

Nous partons en couple dimanche 27/08 (de Lyon via Francfort) jusqu’au 17/09.

Voici « en gros » (car tres flexible) notre programme

28 & 29 aout : Bangkok : acclimatation et prise de contact avec la ville 30-31aout 1 sept Kanchanaburi ( train ou bus ) visite de la région 2 sept Kanchanaburi – Chumphon (train ou bus) puis Ko Tao A ce propos, y a-t-il un train / bus direct pour ce trajet ? 2 – 6 sept Ko Tao repos (conception d’un bébé…) 7 sept depart pour Krabi et sa région. Avons-nous interet à repasser par Chumphon ou à tirer direct par Surat Thani ? train ? Bus ? 7 – 13 sept Krabi, Ko lanta et la région cotiere. 13 sept Krabi Bkk par Air Asia. (40€ pour 2 !!) Quelqu’un peut il m’expliquer à quoi correspondent les « J fare, A fare, I fare, Vfare, » face aux tarifs sur Air Asia ? 13 – 17 sept Bangkok, Ayuttaya, Chatuchak, qqs Wat, Jim Thompson house, … J’ai l’intention de m’envoyer par la poste un colis (tableau de bois sculpté, un peu de soie, et divers souvenirs 10-15 kg) Il semblerait que la poste Thai propose des « boxes » specialement étudiées pour cela. Es-ce sur et pas trop cher ?

Et la, vous allez me dire : et le Nord ??

Ben ouais, l’impasse est totale sur le Nord mais fera l’objet d’un futur voyage. De plus nous l’avons « visité » (au pas de charge…) lors de notre premier circuit en 2004.

Hormis Bkk, ou nous pensons aller au Newsiam2 ou Shanta Lodge, je n’ai aucune idee des GH ou nous dormirons sur nos différentes étapes… ( 1000baths maxi pour2 / nuit, pas besoin de super luxe mais pas trop cheap non plus…)

Je remercie par avance TOUS ceux qui répondront à ce post. Je suis ouvert à toutes vos suggestions / critiques / bons plans / modifications et conseils.

N’hesitez pas à me contacter (fredrave@gmail.com) si vos itinéraires risquent de croiser le notre. Chris Cool : pas de souci pour boire un pot ! ;-)

Fred&Carine (2 jeunes trentenaires)

PS : ma modeste contribution au forum (en attendant notre retour)

Si vous possedez une carte visa premier ( ouais, c’est pas vraiment cheap/routard, mais ca peut tres vite etre amorti), il existe une agence de voyage dediée aux porteurs de cette carte. C’est eux qui nous nous ont déniché nos billets moins cher que ce que j’avais pu trouver sur tous les comparateurs de voyages du net.

Je rappelle les principaux points évoqués dans la rubrique Divers "où sont les routards de 50 ans et plus. Une rencontre est organisée aux dates indiquées dans le titre au Centre de séjour de Saumur l'Ile d'Offard, en hébergement mobil home avec 6 couchages : une chambre avec un grand lit, une chambre avec deux lits individuels et une banquette dans le salon deux places. Pour le moment il y a une option pour 4 mobil home, cette option sera valable jusqu'au 10 Mai 2006, si tous les mobil home sont occupés cezla reviendra à 429, 60 euros à partager entre les participants. Pour les repas on peut les prendre au centre mais il faut prévenir 15 jours à l'avance parce que lesdits repas sont préparés par traiteur, mais comme il y a une kitchenette dans chaque mobil home, on peut s'arranger, dans cette région il ne doit pas y avoir pénurie de bouffe, ni de boisson d'ailleurs🤪🤪 Le mieux est d'apporter les draps ou un duvet car ce service est facturé à la semaine donc pas intéressant pour nous. Il est possible de louer des vélos chez un loueur qui est installé près du centre et qui travaille en partenariat avec ce dernier, je dois recevoir prochainement les tarifs. Comme je le disais dans un post précédent, ce coin est idéal pour la randonnée et le vélo, il y a parait-il du centre une vue imprenable sur le chateau de Saumur, à proximité les caves à vin du nême nom que la ville😛 un musée du masque. J'attends vos inscriptions nombreuses bien sur. Pour le moment voici la liste :

Vilcanota et Madame Smokey et Jojo Marino 46/59 Jayna er son mari Patoune

à qui le tour ?????

🙂bonjour ! je viens d arriver sur le site donc je suis desoler si je fais des maladresse au niveau ecriture et message!!!! je me marie au mois d aout le 26 pour etre exacte et nous voulions partir a l ile maurice .au depart l hotel shandrani nous plaisais bien mais nous avons appris qu il y avait des travaux de mai a decembre 2006.info donnee par une agence de voyage!!!! pouvez nous indiquer un bon hotel pour mi septembre, debut octobre... a+ mihael et sandra vous remercie d avance

Bonsoir

nous partons, mon épouse et moi du 25 mars au 08 avril à l'île Maurice, plus précisément à l'hôtel "Trou aux Biches" et on voudrait être rassuré le choix de l'hôtel et on voudrait surtout être rassuré sur ce fameux moustique où les infos' vont dans tous les sens; merci de nous rassurer et de nous tenir au courant de la VRAI réalité😏

michanne

voila je compte partir a la reunion en avril!! mais 2 questions se posent? _ Comment cela se passe actuellement sur l'ile au niveau du moustique? est ce dangereux ou inconscient de venir en voyage en ce moment? _ Constatant qu'il va certainement y avoir enormement de desistement pour les billets d'avion?? faut il encore attendre un peu avant de le prendre?? le prix habituel a cette periode?? et toute sorte de plan que vous voudrez bien partagé!!!

merci d'avance

Nouveau post voici la photo :

Bonjour,

je fais un voyage de deux semaines en Californie fin Juillet début août avec mon copain pour deux semaines. On voudrait longer la côte mais passer environ 4 jours à San Fransisco. Est-ce que ça vaut le coup ? Est ce que c'est mieux d'attérir à SF et repartir de LA ou l'inverse ? Est ce que qqun a des suggestions d'endroits ou dormir pas trop cher à SF et dans des villes sur la côte. On avait pensé dormir à Carmel... On voudrait aussi aller à la plage. J'ai entendu que l'île Santa Catalina était très bien... Est ce que longer la cote en deux semaines c'est assez long ? On voudrait aussi aller au Parc Yosémite.

Merci 🙂

Bonsoir,

Juste partager le bonheur que j'ai eu à redécouvrir Londres au travers du regard de mon fils, 8 ans, pendant 3 jours. Bus Imperial, relève de la Garde, les écureuils dans les parcs, le métro avec ses voyageurs cosmopolites, Hamley's le soit-disant + grand magasin de jouet du monde, les saltimbanques de Soho, Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Madame Tusssaud (trop cher), le musée de la guerre (c'est sa période boum-boum char d'assault D-day...ça lui passera!!!), les hot dog sucrés, et bien sûr l'avion (super deal Nice-Luton 104euros AR au total pour tous les deux...imbattable).

Alors si vous chercher une idée de cadeau pour Nöel, offrez lui (ou elle) un p'tit séjour à Londres ou dans une autre ville européenne (mais à Londres, même les déplacements en Bus à étage sont une aventure), chez un ami ou une amie (en cherchant bien, on a bien tous ça dans une capitale!), votre marmot vous bleuffera et vous retournerez en enfance, délaissant la Guiness des pub enfumés pour la course aux écureuils dans Green Park.

On prévoit d'aller en Thailande 18 jours en voyage de noces fin mai-début juin. Pourquoi ce choix: on a jamais fait l'Asie, on a pas un budget énorme (et la Thailande est assez accessible, notamment le prix des billets d'avion) et puis on aimerait faire 2/3 découverte culturelle - 1/3 plage paradisiaque, farniente et plongée! Tout ça parait possible en Thailande plus qu'ailleurs, non? et puis tous ceux qui en reviennent sont enchantés...

Que nous conseillez-vous? Quel est le meilleur itinéraire? Cela vaut-il la peine de louer une voiture pour visiter le Nord? Quel ile dans le sud en cette saison?

Merci d'avance pour tous vos précieux conseils!!!

Alex😎

quid de la météo, quid du budget pour une semaine ds un bel hôtel départ de paris? la restauration ça fonctionne comment là-bas? 1/2 pension ?

adresses

objectif voyage anniv de mariage en amoureux cherchons calme soleil ballades en amoureux et farniente ds un cadre idylique, doigts de pied en éventail et rien à fair ou presque...

There exists a rare land where life expresses itself, a land where everything is destroyed, patched up, where everything is dirty and faded, yet paradoxically, each passing day is synonymous with light and joy. Seen from the sea, magnified by its translucent waters, the island is splendid; seen from inland, ochre and green dress a landscape one would wish to be pristine. As you approach the coast with the tides, countless boat wrecks never finish dying; returning from a hike, you know you’re nearing the city by the increasingly obvious proliferation of all kinds of trash. Overflowing the towns, makeshift homes made of corrugated iron stand here and there, wherever the eye lands; from a height, looking toward the horizon, you find the calm blue of the ocean and the beauty of infinity.

But where does all this corrugated iron come from? Blue, gray, red, or black, you find it pretty much everywhere—except, of course, on the island’s heights, where the heat is such that all life seems impossible. Yet, a few kilometers from the capital, more than an hour’s walk away, the corrugated iron is very much there, omnipresent, guaranteeing a land registry as hypothetical for us Europeans as it is very real for those who live there, far from civilization and comfort. I keep climbing. I’m precisely looking to meet these people who live on very little, if not nothing.

- Jéjé Mogné (Hello, sir in Shimahorais)! Where do you get water here, in this place? How do you drink, irrigate your plants?

- I wait for the rain. We have tanks that fill up well with each rainfall. But right now, it’s not raining much.

At the top of the next hill, lost in the bushes, it’s easier for me to guess the distant city, Mamoudzou, than the rest of the path, a remnant of a magnificent GR called the Island Tour, abandoned for the most part, sometimes maintained between two lost hamlets. The city, the pulse, water. Below, the ocean, running water, drinking water—despite regular interruptions; here, up high, an hour and a half’s walk away, tanks, arbitrariness. On other slopes, however, during another hike, I saw the water supply network, made of sturdy pipes tangled in the earth, right there by the path. It seems there are places where water climbs. Others not. Each to their own karma. In 2025. In a French department.

A path of misfortune, lost and regained, thanks to a sign, an inscription, or the compass’s directions. No one walks here anymore, except those who live here or come to harvest their crops. I remember that breathtaking hike in 2013, when I connected Bandrélé to Mamoudzou, passing by the peaks of Bénara (660m) and Bépilipili (643m), barely pausing at Tsararano and Vahibé: 34 km of intense effort on a rollercoaster path, along a trail that was still discernible. Today, it’s as if everything had disappeared. By also destroying the paths and vegetation, Chido* broke the last momentum of these cautious hikers: insecurity has made its way across the archipelago, and Sunday strolls are no longer the norm. Me, I keep going. I will have walked here and there during these three weeks to get an idea of the places, the people, the landscapes, and the superhuman effort required to move forward in over 40°C. To tell the truth, during my last hike, I cut my plans short and let myself be carried by a group of young people heading back to the city. The path is now just an inextricable network of small trails, the specter of Providence** comes to mind. True wisdom is knowing when to give up. I leave.

* A cyclone named "desire" (in Shona), which ravaged the island of Mayotte on December 14, 2024. ** June 2023, a very poorly prepared hike on Providence Island (Caribbean) from which I miraculously escaped.

On Petite-Terre, Marie takes me to visit some locals, white people who have lived there for a long time and make a living from their art; jewelry for her, all kinds of objects for him. We love this little shop, this oasis amid the chaos that embodies Dostoevsky’s phrase: "Beauty will save the world." It’s clean and tidy, beautiful, well-kept. Invariably, the question of insecurity resurfaces in the middle of the conversation. The woman says:

- I know someone who slipped in their bathtub. Still, I keep taking baths…

So, is this insecurity a myth or reality? I hear stories that are often true but sometimes seemingly exaggerated through the lens of misunderstanding and one-upmanship. Like that of this midwife assaulted one evening (it gets dark early) on her way home from work. Sometimes she was attacked on the path, dragged by the hair for several meters, sometimes she made it home, but it was her roommate who let the two men in. One version talks about a snatched phone and gratuitous violence, another about violence outright. In short, one thing is certain: walking around at night flaunting your phone isn’t a good idea, no more in Mamoudzou than in the rough neighborhoods of Nantes. Also, I played it safe: nothing flashy, nothing bling-bling, and always something to give if needed. I was never approached. It’s not easy to get a sense of the realities, between the hazy reports from journalists sensationalizing everything and the real lives of real people. But I know I can’t rely on these few ideas I’ve formed: I’m nobody, and above all, I don’t live here. What I do know, however, is that since my last visit to the island in 2017, over 80,000 babies have been born, and tens of thousands of immigrants have reached the archipelago’s shores. What’s also obvious is that poverty, hunger, and—let’s say it—indignity foster delinquency and insecurity. So, without taking journalists’ alarmist speeches at face value, we’ll try to keep in mind that a young person rendered orphaned by circumstances (parents expelled), poor and often hungry, involved more or less against their will in village wars and fueled by synthetic drugs*, will readily turn to violence when they truly have nothing to lose. We can trace the origin of this despair to the fact that in Mayotte, those without legal existence have virtually no hope of accessing anything.

* "Chimique" is a series of synthetic cannabinoids

Meanwhile, in the evening, it’s good to go home before the time of stone-throwing. From time to time, along the roads, gangs throw stones at vehicles and school buses, but mostly at police cars—almost all the white Dusters on the island! In front of the Mamoudzou police station, all parked vehicles—mostly Dusters—bear the scars of these attacks. Maybe it’s only at night that gangs unleash and all the burglaries happen? I saw nothing, heard nothing. I lived three weeks in a sort of bunker with no real access to outside light, protected by a fake wooden door doubled with a real metal door, both locked at all times. You don’t tempt fate. You endure it differently.

Today, extraordinarily, it’s raining. Yet, it’s the rainy season! But with my karma helping (what selfishness to want to walk dry when so many souls live off the rain) or is it climate change? The rain only falls once I’ve put on my horrible green pajamas. In front of the board outlining the program, I’m told that out of the six scheduled C-sections today (sic), they’ll probably only do two, maybe three. Because it’s raining. And when it rains, people don’t move around. Not for lack of will. Rather, for lack of means. And that ties into those sad days when the police patrol around the hospital: patients don’t come. They’ll come back tomorrow. To compensate, I’m happy at the thought of tackling the abscess program, but the sterilization unit is acting up and blocking the instrument trays. When it’s not the rain, it’s the unions. And when both finally quiet down, there’s always someone to find fault with the order of operations. You have to imagine an operating room where the question of urgency reigns supreme. Here, no surgery is scheduled more than 24 hours in advance—only emergencies, nothing but emergencies. So, following that reasonable adage that what’s done is no longer to be done, it’s sheer madness when the rain meets the interests of Force Ouvrière and the bad will of some combines with the laziness of others. To tell the truth, I’ve never seen so much energy expended to… do nothing. Hallucinating. But who am I, a small-time striver, an islander in my spare time, a temporary worker at the end of the world? I came, I saw, I was disappointed? Not really. Here again, I can’t judge a system in so little time. I can barely utter a few bitter words in front of obvious facts. But nothing will take away my joy of being here for three weeks. Here, they heal with somewhat outdated but still functional means. You do what you can with what you have, 8,000 km from the Métropole. Yes, the operating room doors hesitate, and the operating tables stutter, but in this blessed period, we lack neither medicines nor supplies. So we examine, anesthetize, and repair, far more undocumented people than French—if I may play with somewhat borderline statistics here; we deliver babies, dress wounds, and relieve pain in this hospital at the end of the world where neither white women nor Mahorais women would ever consider giving birth or getting treated.

What’s the solution? The obstetrician talks to the woman during a C-section under spinal anesthesia:

- Bouéni! (Madame, in Shimahorais) You need to think about tubal ligation. This is your fourth C-section. Your uterus is like tissue paper. Your next pregnancy will be very risky.

No answer. Culture. It’s all about culture. The funniest thing is that France also gets bogged down with the idea of other cultures’… cultures. The woman in question arrived illegally a few years ago to give birth to her first child. Since then, rejecting the very idea of contraception—her husband, for his part, will invoke God or Allah to refuse a vasectomy—she comes back every 12-14 months. And the obstetrician explains to me how his idea of making information about permanent contraception mandatory was deemed racist by associations. It’s always the same story. I suggest to the associations that they take charge of all these extra births, not only the medical costs but also the entire education, not just financial, of all these children doomed to live a life of misery on this forsaken archipelago. The probability that one of these offspring will emerge as a gifted, sensitive, and fiercely happy individual must truly be weighed against the degradation and abandonment that will invariably afflict the thousands of others living around him. In reality, simply mentioning a very real danger to the mother should be enough to impose sterilization. But we are a country whose greatness of soul is measured by the number of heads cut off to uphold the famous rights of man... Already a proponent at home of ending family allowances after the third child—you can’t subscribe to a certain idea of society and, at the same time, accept that tens of thousands of children are sacrificed on the altar of thoughtlessness and financial interest*—I will weakly advocate here for a controlled right to have children. Well, what will they say about me when I express the idea of imposing sterilization on women in irregular situations after the birth of their third child? National solidarity funds the noblest ideals? In Mayotte? Let’s be serious. It’s so much easier to hide behind the inalienable right of women to control their bodies than to acknowledge one’s own powerlessness to assume the consequences of such a policy. Because after 18 years of struggles as a second-class citizen, the young stateless person will have no choice but to live in hiding: faced with the impossibility of claiming birthright citizenship**, they will be deportable. In Mayotte, there aren’t enough schools, not enough housing, not enough projects for youth, not enough jobs, not enough money, not enough future… In Mayotte, an average of 5 children are born per woman. In reality, we never ask about the right of children to control their own lives.

* Single parent with 4 children: RSA at 1937 € + family allowances… ** Law of May 12, 2025 aiming to strengthen the conditions for accessing French nationality in Mayotte.

I live in the city in a clean apartment where air conditioning eases my aches and sweat, and where water flows abundantly, thanks to huge tanks that fill up between water cuts. On the hills of Koungou, I was struck by this image: there, women (a matriarchal society?) do the dishes in a miserable stream. Upstream of the same stream, the same image as downstream: disgusting water with bits of foam floating on it. A little further, however, there are taps with running water that children play with. Strange. In any case, water is a question. They tell me it’s drinkable; I doubt it. A system that’s regularly cut doesn’t seem reliable to me. In any case, I can’t help but think of the Canary Islands and their chronic water shortage, especially in Lanzarote. Without entering the debate on desalination plants—I’m quite ignorant about environmental repercussions—I’ll just say that in the Canary Islands, you can buy 8 L jugs of purified water for less than 2 €. Here, in Mayotte, the price of water—as is the price of gasoline—is the same everywhere: 0.65 € for a bottle of Cristaline (1 €/L)*. While I was walking up there with a couple of farmers shuttling between two remote spots, I know I hit the mark by offering them one of my two bottles I’d brought for the occasion.

* At home, we find Cristaline at 1.14 € for a 9 L pack, i.e., 0.13 € per liter.

Outside, everything is broken, abandoned, old, worn, torn, faded, heavy, dirty, forsaken. But life goes on. And that’s fascinating. At home, at 5:45 PM, people close their shutters and watch cable TV, sometimes late into the night, emptying the streets of any salutary clamor, unwittingly extinguishing the necessary pulse of life. At home, we die of boredom. In Mamoudzou, between two dying trash cans, metal frames laid on the ground are covered by the elements of a broken garden set. A bare concrete staircase, without railings, provides access to the upper floor of a dwelling. On the steps, you can read: Private space - Please take your trash with you. Metal rods protrude from the said dwelling. On the ground, it’s a festival of screws and nails… A cat passes by. It doesn’t look great. A madwoman crosses the street dancing. A slightly hurried driver brakes. A six- or seven-year-old boy comes out in his underwear from his low house made of corrugated iron. He smiles. He’s having fun doing acrobatic figures over an old mattress on the sidewalk. Forward roll, backward roll. You wonder if he eats enough. Different culture. Different customs.

I will remember for a long time this blinding morning light, a raw, vital, striking light. I almost forgot where I came from, the grayness and boredom of that continental European country where nothing really happens anymore. Here, I could join Camus, contemplating these people placed halfway between misery and the sun, resigned for the most part and, for the other part, not too unhappy with their lot. But the Mahorais discourse is unanimous: "France really screwed us over!" Today, more than half of the island’s inhabitants are undocumented; a tremendous amount of energy is spent expelling 20,000 to 25,000 of them each year; colossal sums are swallowed up to care for all these people, and the island is drifting. I talk with some gendarmes. One of them tells me:

- They intercept one kwassa* out of three… Can you explain to me why they can’t catch everyone? It’s 2025! Can’t they put the necessary boats in place?

Clearly, and this is also my opinion, this whole mess serves interests beyond us. For who can believe for a second that this glaring incompetence isn’t orchestrated? Shared interests between secret France and the Union of the Comoros? A desire to bring insecurity to its peak, either by the Comoros to eventually take back control of Mayotte, or by our own government, in a deliberate effort to see all the white people leave the archipelago and let the Mahorais fend for themselves? At one point, I’m even told about an extraordinary deposit beneath Mayotte’s soil, a promise of infinite wealth**. Not to infringe on human rights, to do some cleaning from time to time, to calm things down to avoid implosion, while waiting to go after this providential bounty? Decidedly, Mayotte hasn’t said its last word!

*What’s paradoxical is that in the early 2010s, to revive traditional fishing activity, the UN financed in Anjouan the construction of a factory to produce these light boats, 7-10m long and 1m wide, which largely served the interests of smugglers. This skiff owes its name to a Congolese dance known for being as rhythmic as it is jerky, much like the navigation experience offered during a crossing to Mayotte. ** A 2025 study revealed the existence of a gigantic magmatic reservoir located 23km beneath the archipelago. If the Icelandic experiment succeeds (Project KMT, see here), Mayotte will then possess almost unlimited energy.

Hell on earth. Paradise at sea. The world’s largest lagoon offering spectacular marine depths, Mayotte’s coral reef suffers less from the abundance of tourists* than from tropical storms**. So, let’s admit that Mayotte is best appreciated when approached from the lagoon. The heights are for old hands like me. The sea spray is rather for the snobs who shun the sun god Ra, risking too much exposure and ending up on sick leave for sunstroke! But I’m not exclusive: I twice don my snob attire and head out to tackle the waves, the seabeds, and the elusive. Because yes, underwater, we leave our landlubber reflexes behind, and flying over corals and other magnificent drop-offs, it’s as if we’re soaring, keeping in memory only what our eyes can store. Multicolored, even phosphorescent fish, sharks, rays, the immensity of the blue, and then, there, dolphins, just a few meters from me, underwater. Incredible.

* 70,000 tourists annually, mostly affinity tourism (links with family or an expatriate). ** Present almost at the water’s surface, the reefs were largely destroyed by Chido.

Paradise at sea? When you think that Mayotte comes from the Arabic Jazirat al Mawet—literally, Island of Death—because of its double coral barrier where many skiffs have run aground and continue to do so… Paradise. Eldorado. The Comoros now face an unprecedented influx of immigrants from the African Great Lakes. And Mayotte, for its part, continues to attract relentlessly, thanks to the evolution of the law*. In reality, whether hidden interests exist or not, France remains bound hand and foot by international, European, and French rules: it can’t do much. Barely has it boarded a kwassa when the one who flees by swimming cries attempted murder; barely has one been sent back to the Comoros when an association will look into their detention conditions and find a loophole; barely has one told a bouéni how her next pregnancy could be fatal when so-called human voices cry scandal.

* Regarding the Métropole, the rights of squatters and other bad payers against the notion of private property, legally violated in favor of the right to housing… ** You can read about France being condemned for its illegal practices of expelling Comorian minors. Inhumane treatment, arbitrary detention, collective expulsion.

Everyone forms their own idea of justice, and no one can claim a monopoly on good thinking. So, as long as I treat without prejudice, as long as my hands are sincerely guided by the love I bear for our humanity, I’ll allow myself to think what I think, understanding that I’m rather open to dialogue and that my opinions evolve with time and events. Today, Mayotte represents for me the failure of a model, a European one in this case, where opulence quickly meets its limits. For it’s not wrong to think that our society can’t share more than it produces, nor is it wrong to think that every human being has a right to their share of the pie; in Mayotte, you’ll find the proven result of our civilization: it doesn’t work. Exclusively financed by the right, the ideas of the left jam in Mayotte more than anywhere else: national solidarity coupled with a sense of guilt creates chaos. Political courage, or true social justice, would be to offer a future to those who have no choice—the one who’s already here, the child to be born—not to offer a present to those who can choose or to whom one can give keys to understanding—the woman of childbearing age, the candidate for exile. Ultimately, the Comoros’ coup d’état over France comes at the cost of many innocent victims, starting with the children*.

* Tens of thousands of deaths by drowning between Anjouan and Mayotte, tens of thousands of children left to fend for themselves and doomed to a non-existent future.

On the evening of the 31st, I go for my usual run and notice near a roundabout a fool in rags pedaling the wrong way. A police car passes by: the guy gets stopped. A rather quick identity check. The guy is taken away. Would he still be among us if he had ridden the right way? In the evening, the line is long in front of the club near the dock. Me, I’m just passing by, greeting my friends of the season, much more inclined to savor rest than to exhaust myself on an overheated dance floor. There, a man, thirty or forty years old, clearly in a world of his own, is searching the trash for something to eat. He’s barefoot. I console myself by thinking that at least he won’t die of cold. Out of ten children born in Mayotte, I can reasonably think that only one will be able to afford an existence that minimally meets any of our criteria.

It’s time to go home. After sweating and thinking so much about this gem of the Mozambique Channel, I spend peaceful hours by the pool at a hotel next to the airport. We checked out at 8 AM, and the flight is at 7 PM. The perfect opportunity to slack off and chat a bit more. I’m happy to get to know one of the co-pilots of tonight’s flight, staying at this hotel, while one of my flight attendant friends from this airline had already recommended me to the crew. But it’s not the captain’s day, who’s in a rather gloomy mood. I’ll travel in the back, up to the vertical of Cairo. Midnight has just struck; it’s January 2nd, my name day. Concerned about solving an unsolvable problem with a passenger, the crew asks me to give up my exit row seat and takes me to the front for the last four hours of the flight. In the end, the captain gave in? I laugh to myself: if there’s one thing I mustn’t forget, it’s that God never abandons me!

We’ve read it all about Bali: mass tourism, non-stop parties, ferry disasters, the kingdom of “Instagrammers,” pollution, “Bali belly”... But luckily, this island isn’t just about Kuta’s beaches and the Lempuyang Temple.

Sure, it’s not as exotic or off-the-beaten-path as other Indonesian islands (the Moluccas, Timor, Flores...), but we spent 3 weeks there and loved it!

Our (planned) itinerary in 7 stops: - Ubud (4 nights) - Sidemen (2 nights) - Gili Meno (3 nights) - Amed (2 nights) - Pemuteran (4 nights) - Munduk (2 nights) - Jatiluwih (2 nights)



We booked our accommodations in advance, and for the rest (drivers, activities...), we took it day by day with help from the homestays (making sure to contact them a few days ahead via WhatsApp).

In the end, it’s an “easy” destination, very affordable, and one that’s managed to keep a certain authenticity.

Hi there, I'm starting a new travel journal with my itinerary and memories in mind, and maybe a few photos if I can find some.

The context:

April 2020, I was supposed to go to Uzbekistan, and October 2020 to Texas: both canceled due to COVID. Summer vacations in 2020 weren’t gonna be fun. Optimistic, I’d rescheduled both trips for roughly the same dates in 2021: the first was canceled again because of COVID, the second due to U.S. entry conditions (still COVID-related!). Summer vacations in 2021 *had* to be more fun, or I was gonna lose it!!! Plus, our parents are dealing with health issues, which is weighing us down—we really need to get away!

So I looked into where we could go, somewhere we could live almost normally. I saw that Madeira had implemented strict COVID measures but that life on the island was pretty chill afterward. For me, Madeira = sun + hiking + landscapes. BINGO.

Day 1: The flight and arrival on the island

Flight with TAP via Lisbon, departing around noon. We wore our masks properly on the plane. (My last flight was to Portugal, and I told myself I’d break the jinx and leave COVID behind us.) Layover in Lisbon, then an afternoon flight to Madeira. The landing went smoothly, no wind. Cristiano Ronaldo Airport in Funchal is known for being one of the trickiest in the world due to crosswinds. The checks were standard, except COVID added an extra step. Before the trip, I had to fill out a questionnaire (Madeira Safe). Once there, a group of young people—probably students—greeted us, each with a tablet. The health questionnaire and vaccine check were super quick. Then we saw a doctor, and just like that, we were wished a great stay. Honestly, it was so well organized that it only took 10 minutes. We wouldn’t put our masks back on until we returned!

A taxi took us to our hotel in the hills above Funchal—a pretty upscale place, which isn’t our usual style, but we needed it this time! Dinner on the hotel terrace with the city at our feet. Amazing!

HOTEL: Quinta da Bela Vista

The +: We’re traveling!!! The -: Nothing.

It’s all in the title 😛

The Cyclades attract a lot (a LOT) of people in the summer, and it's not always clear how to visit them.

For our first family trip to the Cyclades (in 2016), we took a route that seems great for discovering the islands: - Flight Paris / Santorini (Transavia) - 3 nights in Santorini - Ferry Santorini / Milos - 4 nights in Milos - Ferry Milos / Sifnos - 4 nights in Sifnos - Ferry Sifnos / Athens - 3 nights in Athens - Flight Athens / Paris

Santorini is the postcard image of the Cyclades... but not really any beaches for kids. My tip: you should stay in Oia because it's really "the spot" on the island. We chose the Pension "The Flower": simple but very well located and with a pool for the kids. Another tip: rent a car as soon as you arrive at the airport because the island is vast.

Our favorite moment: Oia around 6:00 AM, a paradise for photographers. It’s nothing like the daytime, or especially the evening when all the crowds rush in for the famous "sunset." Another favorite, the hike between Fira and Oia, 10 km, 4 hours of walking with extraordinary views (especially around Imerovigli). For the rest, we toured the island—it’s nice but nothing to marvel at.

After a 2.5-hour ferry ride, we arrived in Milos, home of the famous Venus de Milo. This is our favorite island in the Cyclades (though we haven’t seen them all!). In the port of Adamantas, we stayed at the Liogerma Hotel (very well located near the port).

Our favorite experience: the boat tour around the island (and swimming at Kleftiko). Absolutely a must-do, but book it as soon as you arrive because it’s often fully booked for the next two days.

I also recommend renting a car to explore this island. Other favorites: the incredible fishing village of Klima with its colorful boat houses, the rocks of Sarakiniko (best in the morning sun), the beach at Tsigrado (with its ladder access through the rocks), Plaka, the caves of Papafragas, the waters of Firopotamos, and Fyriplaka...

Just a 1-hour ferry ride, and you’re already in Sifnos. A small island with a bus network that means you don’t need to rent a vehicle. We stayed in Kamares (Hotel Afroditi).

Sifnos has charming villages typical of the Cyclades (Kastro, Apollonia), beautiful chapels (Chrisopigi, the Church of the Seven Martyrs...), and lovely beaches (Cherronissos, Platis Galios...). Our favorite: hiking around Faros and the Chrisopigi Monastery.

A 3-hour ferry ride takes you back to the port of Piraeus to visit Athens: the Acropolis, its museums, and the Plaka district. A little favorite of ours: the Archaeological Museum, slightly off the tourist trail... With this route, you’ll see the diversity of the Cyclades and Athens without wasting too much time on ferries.

PS: We also did the loop Mykonos / Paros / Amorgos / Mykonos, but that’s a good idea... for a second trip ;)

Fellow travelers,

Don’t they say "never two without three"? It seems so. Here I am again on the forum to share—and let’s be honest, indulge a bit of selfish pleasure—by recounting the story of this third installment in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Where? It’s all in the title. On the island of Kyushu in southern Japan, more precisely in the northwest between Fukuoka and Nagasaki. I hope to take you along with me for 19 nights and 18 full days this autumn of 2024. On the itinerary: gastronomy, crafts, festivals, waterfalls, encounters, and leisurely strolls in all simplicity.

A last-minute flight booked just 7 days before departure, and the route evolved regularly based on whims and accommodation availability, eventually settling on this:

- 5 nights in Fukuoka: Fukuoka city, Ukiha, Itoshima, Dazaifu, Yanagawa - 4 nights in Hasami, Nagasaki Prefecture: Okawachiyama, Arita, Takeo, Kashima, Yobuko, Karatsu, Kabeshima - 6 nights in Nagasaki: Ureshino, Higashi-Sonogi, Nagasaki city, Unzen, Sotome - 4 nights in Fukuoka: Karatsu, Fukuoka city

Most of the trip was done by car for practical reasons—easier access to certain places and freedom of movement—but also for the sheer joy of it. Despite slow traffic at times, driving in rural Japan is a delight.

If the program interests you, see you soon for the start of the journey.

Bonjour à toutes et tous,

Je suis maman solo et mon fils à 9 ans. Je ne suis jamais partie à l'étranger, mais j’ai très envie de découvrir la Thaïlande avec mon fils en févier 2021 pour un séjour de 15 jours. J'ai plein de peurs :) : vais-je réussir à me faire comprendre et à comprendre ? Que faire ou voir sur 15 jours ? Dois-je réserver les hôtels avant le départ et les transports ?

J'aimerais faire ce parcours : > Bangkok (1 nuit) : Avez-vous un hôtel avec piscine à me conseiller pour nous remettre des 13h d’avion ? Ø > Chang Mai (pour aller au sanctuaire des éléphants – rêve de mon fils !) : dois-je y aller en train ou en avion depuis Bangkok? Y a t'il autre chose à faire vraiment top sur place susceptibles de nous plaire à tous les 2 ? Avez-vous le nom d'un hôtel sur place avec piscine ? Ø > Kanchananburi + Parc de Khao Sok + Les Cascades d’Erawan : où dormir ? Avec qui visiter le Parc et les Cascades, sachant que nous voulons prendre le temps de voir la nature et d’être cool ? > > Les sud et le Snorkeling : quelle île me conseillez-vous avec un enfant, sachant que nous voulons du calme, la mer turquoise et voir des poissons ; voire peut-être faire une balade en bateau. Avez-vous un Hôtel (le plus proche de la mer) à me conseiller ? Comment me rendre de Kho Sok sur l’Ile choisie

?

Pour le vol, je compte prendre un vol A/R direct via AirFrance (cher mais direct). Dois-je prendre des billets avec bagages en soute ? Je sais que me liste est longue … !!! Vos réponses vont vraiment m’aider à déstresser !!

GENESE

Comme tous, le COVID a chamboulé nos plans. Normalement nous devions aller à Madagascar pendant un mois, projet reporté à l’année prochaine. Seulement, n’ayant jamais arrêté de travailler, malgré le confinement et le Covid j’avais réellement besoin de faire une « pause ».

Souhaitant limiter les risques de restrictions de déplacements nous ne quitterons pas l’Europe en nous centrant sur des endroits que nous avons toujours voulu visiter, mais habituellement trop fréquentés pour nous. Il y avait la Suisse avec ses montagnes et ses trains de légende, l’Islande et les îles Grecques.

Au final c’est l’attrait du soleil qui l’a emporté … enfin surtout auprès de madame ! Nous avions « entrevu » Santorin et Myconos lors d’une croisière en méditerranée en 2007 avec les enfants. Nous avions adoré … sauf la fréquentation !

Le premier élément à choisir est le point d’entrée, accessible en avion. Il y a Santorin et Myconos dans les Cyclades. Comme je rêvais de revoir la caldera de Santorin, le choix fut rapide. Ensuite je voulais des îles peu fréquentées ne nécessitant pas de trop long trajet en ferry. Sur 2 semaines 3 îles m’a paru être le bon choix. Avec le recul je confirme que c’est un bon dosage. Je me suis beaucoup servi du site Hellenica et Cycladen.be, qui sont très bien, pour faire mes choix.

La première sera Anafi, dans la catégorie « peu fréquentée » elle est très bien placée, en plus elle est petite, montagneuse et avec de belles plages. Une des raisons de sa faible fréquentation est le peu de liaison maritimes, ce sera donc à partir de cette contrainte que s’articulera le voyage.

Le second choix sera Astypalea car il y a un aéroport pour repartir, en plus c’est aussi une île peu fréquentée par les étrangers. Elle fait partie des Dodécanèse mais géographique se trouve proche des Cyclades.

Amorgos se glissera très naturellement entre les deux.

Une fois le planning établi j’ai réservé les vols chez Volotea qui a le bon goût de partir de Strasbourg … mauvais choix car les vols seront annulés 2 semaines plus tard.🏴‍☠️ Je me suis retourné vers Easy Jet qui part de Bâle Mulhouse, finalement tout aussi proche de chez nous que Strasbourg. Il faut dire qu’en Alsace nous avons la chance d’avoir pas mal d’aéroports dans un rayon de 3 heures autour de chez nous (en plus des deux précités il y a surtout Zurich et Frankfurt). Nous ferons donc BSL – Athènes – Santorin puis Astypalea – Athènes – BSL.

J’ai réservé par internet en direct les pensions : Villa Kalamiotissa pour Anafi Emprostiada Traditional Guest House et Pano Gitonia pour Amorgos Studio Killindra pour Astypalea Je réserve aussi une voiture à Amorgos puisque l’île est assez grande … et au final, suite à un échange avec mon logeur, également à Anafi.

Le roadbook sera assez rapide à établir … tant mieux car je n’ai que très peu de temps disponible, relancer mon entreprise suite au Covid-19 a accaparé tout mon temps.

En voiture ... pour ceux qui veulent 🙂